Call to deport Burnley online sex ‘groomer’

An illegal immigrant who groomed two schoolgirls was caught after he turned up at a hotel to meet one of them for sex and a worried employee alerted the police, a court heard.

Restaurant worker Subayer Ahmed (29) knew both the children were 15 from the start. He had started chatting to them on Facebook, sending friend requests on the same date.

Ahmed had told them both he loved them and promised to marry the girl he took to the hotel.

Burnley Crown Court was told how Ahmed was detained after he booked a room for the night at the Manchester hotel. The employee had called the police as soon as the pair arrived. Inquiries by officers revealed Ahmed and the girl had been caught on CCTV at a cinema.

Ahmed, who is now applying for asylum, had sent the Home Office a fake passport, in a different name, in a bid to try and stay in the UK, in 2013.

He was locked up for a total of 32 months for child sex and immigration offences, as a judge commended the hotel worker for her actions.

Judge Jonathan Gibson also called for Ahmed to be deported, although he was no longer allowed to recommend it. The defendant has been in dual custody since the crimes came to light.

Ahmed, from Dane Street, Burnley, had admitted two counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming, one charge of sexual activity with a child, one of providing a false document with intent to obtain leave to remain in the UK and one of possessing a false document with intent.

Prosecutor Emma Kehoe said: “The first girl told him on that first occasion she was 15 and was from Burnley. He responded by saying he was 22 and now lived in London. He said he was originally from Burnley.”

The girl gave Ahmed her mobile number and they conversed on Facebook, by text message and on WhatsApp.

The court heard the texting and conversation began to get sexual and the defendant started to talk about how he would book a hotel and they would spend the night together.

The prosecutor said, on August 11th, a room was booked at the hotel. It was booked by the defendant in the name Rezahul Shastab, with a Burnley address and he paid £39 by credit card.

Miss Kehoe told the court: “One of the staff saw an Asian man come in that evening and she noticed a young female with him. She felt the young female looked uncomfortable. She also felt she far was too young to be with the Asian man. She became concerned about the well-being of that young girl and contacted the police.”

The prosecutor said officers arrived at the hotel and were immediately sent by staff to the room. The defendant and girl were there, fully clothed.

The defendant was arrested and made no comment when questioned. The prosecutor said: “He provided police with a written statement, indicating he had no sexual interest in females, saying he preferred males in that way.”

Miss Kehoe said, in October 2013, an application had been received for naturalisation as a British citizen at the Home Office, in the name of Rezahul Shastab.

In support of that, there was a passport in that name, with the same date of birth, stating his place of birth was Bangladesh.

The prosecutor continued: “The passport was examined by an expert at the Home Office and was identified as being a false passport.

“There were endorsements within the passport which purported to grant indefinite leave to remain to Rezahul Shastab. They, too, were found to be counterfeit.”

Ahmed, who had no previous convictions, has been served with a deportation notice.

Alison Heyworth (defending) said he came to the UK legitimately in 2009 to study, but his studies fell by the wayside as he chose to work.

Passing sentence, the judge told Ahmed: “You went to the hotel room and it’s quite clear your intention was to have sexual intercourse with the girl. You were disturbed and that did not take place.

“I understand you are applying for asylum. I’m afraid, based on the information I have, it would seem to me that given what you did to these two young girls, you shouldn’t really be in the United Kingdom.”

Ahmed was also made subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, banning him from having or seeking unsupervised contact with any child under 16 and from allowing any child under 16 into his home or where he is staying.